LSU Spring Football: Five Storylines to Know
LSU football is back from spring break and returns to the practice fields this week to continue spring practices with several storylines to keep tabs on.
From the lack of depth on the defensive line to newcomers ready to make an impact on defense, there is significant intrigue within the program.
A dive into what LSU fans should monitor over the next few weeks with the Bayou Bengals ramping up spring ball:
The Quarterback Room: Torch Passed to Nussmeier
LSU signal-caller Garrett Nussmeier has waited patiently for his time to come as the starter for the Bayou Bengals. Now, it's his time to shine as QB1.
Nussmeier looked calm, cool and collected during Week 1 of spring practice, and now that the Tigers are back after spring break, it'll be intriguing to get a closer look over the next few weeks.
“Each year you’re always going to build it around players, not plays,” Kelly said. “Each year is going to have a little bit of a change. This is still going to be about finding the best playmakers and getting them the ball like it was last year. Garrett is a different quarterback than Jayden so we’ll look to do things that highlight him.
"The nuances within the offense in terms of attacking, pushing the ball down the field, having balance between the run and the pass, that’s not going to change. But the players involved, we have to be able to highlight what they’re good at and what their strengths are. That’s where you’ll see some changes.”
Nussmeier leads the way as the starter for the Tigers with redshirt freshman Rickie Collins handling QB2 duties right now.
Collins and Vanderbilt transfer AJ Swann will battle it out for backup duties this offseason with Swann looking the part during the first week.
The fourth scholarship signal-caller on roster is early-enrollee Colin Hurley. Despite arriving in Baton Rouge at 16 years old after reclassifying a year up, Hurley looks above his years. The LSU quarterback room is in good hands this season.
The Rushing Attack: Two Scholarship Backs Available
The LSU running back room is thin right now. With veteran Josh Williams and sophomore Kaleb Jackson being the only two scholarship running backs on roster, it's a frail position group.
Redshirt freshman Trey Holly is indefinitely suspended from the program as he deals with off-the-field issues.
During the spring transfer portal window, the Tigers will certainly look to add another back. It's a main topic of conversation during spring ball and will be one throughout the offseason.
“Certainly you’re looking to make up for those yards that you’ve lost with Jayden Daniels and you can do it a number of different ways,” Kelly said. “You can do it with perimeter throws whereas Jayden gave us perimeter runs. You can do it not simply with the running backs but how do you use your offensive line? We think we’ve got one of the best offensive lines in the country and they’re athletic as well. We think our tackles can move and pull. I think a run game that now becomes a lot more diversified in the sense we can start moving our offensive linemen to create an offensive running game that strikes on a much wider front. The running backs will play a part in this but I think the focus needs to be much more on how the offensive line will play a much larger role to enhance our running game.”
New Coordinator, No Problem: Joe Sloan's Time
LSU offensive coordinator Joe Sloan enters Year 1 as the playcaller for the Tigers and Brian Kelly couldn't be more excited about what's to come.
Sloan and co-offensive coordinator Cortez Hankton will work side-by-side this season in order to keep the Tigers' offense in stride.
As spring ball continues, it'll be intriguing to watch the offense develop with different weapons, different playcallers and more.
“[Sloan has] been on a job interview for a couple of years, I’ve gotten a chance to work with him, I’ve been in the quarterback meeting room. That’s where I sit when I get a chance to be involved,” Kelly said. “So I’ve been around him, I know what that position requires to be the offensive coordinator and I just felt like he had the leadership capabilities, the intellect, the understanding of what I was looking for in terms of our offensive identity and philosophy and felt like it was his time. I just felt like the pieces with all of them in totality made this the right choice at the right time.”
The Defensive Line: What Happens Now?
LSU lost Mekhi Wingo and Maason Smith to the 2024 NFL Draft and will work through a few depth issues during spring practice over the next few weeks.
Despite working with limited bodies, defensive line coach Bo Davis and Kevin Peoples will certainly get the most out of what they have.
The spring portal window will see the Tigers add two, or even three, defensive linemen.
The Secondary: Youngsters and Newcomers Galore
LSU worked in sophomores Ashton Stamps and Javien Toviano as the boundary corners during the first week of spring ball. The two youngsters saw significant snaps during Year 1 with the program and are now taking first-team reps during the spring.
Along with the two young players, LSU threw in Texas A&M transfer Jardin Gilbert with the first-team at safety with Sage Ryan in at nickel.
As spring ball continues, the secondary will be spot to keep tabs on with Corey Raymond working with the cornerbacks and defensive coordinator Blake Baker taking a hands-on approach with the safeties.
